Urban Assault KTM 790

This is what happens when 790cc’s of KTM twin hits the Rsd shop. Modern-day performance and technology meet classic styling in this performance adventure build. Destined for the fire roads, the desert the 790 KTM is a capable machine on many terrain types. It’s perhaps the most capable bike in the segment but the look isn’t for everyone. That’s why we set about recreating the machine in a classic silhouette but kept all the bells and whistles. As with any modern build, the technology is amazing but also a nightmare when it comes to customizing. But we are gluttons for a challenge, so we started with the hard stuff. We don't recommend putting a Suzuki Water Buffalo gas tank on a fuel-injected bike, but in the end, it worked. Check the vid below for full details on the build and enjoy!

A friend of ours reached out to us to tear apart his brand new 2019 KTM 790 and build it into more of a classic form while keeping all the function. So what started as a bike with a very aggressive aesthetic, with bright orange and sharp lines, we tried our best to meet in the middle.

This bike has become pretty unrecognizable from the tank-line up. Below the tank-line however, the base has been kept relatively the same minus the fact that we changed the radiator placement and reconfigured the stock skid plate to work with the radiator.

The fuel tank is a crazy story. If we had to do it all over again...we would probably take a different route. Our Shop Manager/Head Fabricator worked hard to make this Water Buffalo Suzuki GT 750 gas tank that came off Travis Pastrana's 199 Triple 750 two-stroke Flat Track bike. Roland and Aaron loved the look of the tank on the raw bike so much that it sparked a journey that leads them down a hole of misery and frustration. However, Aaron had a few tricks up his sleeve and eventually made the vintage tank fit perfectly on this modern adventure bike. In the end, we sacrificed a couple of gallons of fuel but it's exactly what the customer wanted.

We took the seat off of a Husqvarna Vitpilen. We wanted something slim and short so gave us that retro look. That then helped us shape our sub-frame. We modified the Akrapovic exhaust for fit by bringing it up a bit and wrapped an aluminum number plate/exhaust guard for it. On the other side, is an extra fuel tank since we lost some fuel volume with the new tank. We did quite a few changes to the front of the bike while retaining the function of the stock gauge.

This KTM is beyond a doubt one of the most performance and functional machines on the market today. It's lightweight, makes a ton of horsepower, functions amazing and the electronics package makes it the GP bike of adventure bikes. To some people, however (in this case our customer), the aesthetic isn't what they want on a daily rider. That's where we come in...